By Shikhar Verma

Arab and Tarzan Nasser are twin brother filmmakers from Gaza. Their sophomore film is a sweet-natured romance within a conservative regime. Funny, charming, and above all, quietly tender and simplistic in its representation of yearning for love, “Gaza Mon Amour” is a captivating romantic comedy set in a turbulent time in Palestine.

The film follows the life of a 60-year-old fisherman named Issa (Salim Dau). He is a lonesome wolf who goes out to fish on his own and mostly lives by himself. Other than the occasional visit from a nosy sister, there’s nothing much to accompany him in his daily life. Sans the occasional chat with a workmate, he almost always keeps it to himself. He isn’t complaining though. The reason why he keeps going is his tender feelings for Siham (Hiam Abbass). She is a dressmaker who runs a shop that passes through the fish market.